Beowulf, Chaucer, and Shakespare

So, Beowulf's author, Geoffrey Chaucer, and William Shakespeare didn't use commas like we do.

Let's begin with Beowulf:

http://www.bl.uk/manuscripts/Viewer.aspx?ref=cotton_ms_vitellius_a_xv_f132r

http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/c/c1/Beowulf_Cotton_MS_Vitellius_A_XV_f._132r.jpg

http://web.cn.edu/kwheeler/images/Beowulf19lines.gif

https://archive.org/stream/beowulfautotypes00brituoft#page/2/mode/2up

 


http://molcat1.bl.uk/treasures/caxton/record.asp http://www.chaucermss.org/multitext?
version=multitext&manuscript=El&tale=GP&folio=1r

 

http://internetshakespeare.uvic.ca/Library/Texts/Rom/Q2/default/


http://www.bardblog.com/speaking-with-shakespeares-punctuation/

http://probablydontlikeyou.wordpress.com/2012/01/20/shakespeare-be-damned-punctuation-matters/

Our Commas!

What Grammar Is

What do you think grammar is?






A well-written article against Strunk and White...

Ben Yagoda on the Comma

An interesting article that I'd like to discuss.

http://opinionator.blogs.nytimes.com/2012/05/21/the-most-comma-mistakes/

Comma Rules

So, there are lots of versions of comma rules.

 I've put together ten for us to use. It's over there >>> in the sidebar. You're welcome.

 Otherwise, you might check out the following:

The Wikipedia Article on the Comma:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Comma

The NASA writing handbook:
http://ntrs.nasa.gov/archive/nasa/casi.ntrs.nasa.gov/19900017394_1990017394.pdf

The Purdue Online Writing Lab Guidelines:
https://owl.english.purdue.edu/owl/resource/607/02/

The Penguin Writer's Guide:
http://books.google.com/books?id=mUIscdgKu7QC&printsec=frontcover#v=onepage&q&f=false

The Write.com Resources:
http://www.write.com/writing-resources-articles/general-writing/punctuation/mastering-the-art-of-comma-usage/

There are many, many more!  Go look!

Welcome to a class on the comma.

Hi there.

You've decided to take a class on the comma.  Huh, that's weird.  It'll be all comma, all the time... 

So, this blog will be our homebase.  Our class space in cyberspace.  Our hub.  I'll post files here occasionally, and other English randomness, but also you'll be able to see each others' blogs in the link list on the right and keep up with what your community is saying and doing.  I encourage commenting and sharing!!!  Post whatever you like along with the posts that I ask of you. 

From there, the rest is yours.

Welcome to Comma, Trouble.